By the end of 2023 in St. Petersburg, the Lada Granta stood out as a leading new car model, reinforcing its place at the top of local demand. The year also brought stiff competition from a Chinese crossover, the Haval Jolion, which narrowed the gap and posed a serious alternative for many city drivers. These insights come from the research and analytics firm Avtostat, which tracks vehicle popularity and sales dynamics across the city.
In the statistics for the year, Granta family vehicles accounted for 4,551 registrations in St. Petersburg, underscoring its enduring appeal among local buyers. The Haval Jolion followed closely with 4,539 units sold, signaling a strong push by Chinese manufacturers into the Russian market and highlighting the Jolion as a formidable rival within the compact crossover segment. Trailing them, the Geely Coolray secured third place in popularity, with sales exceeding 3,900 units in the city over the same period. The strong performance of these models reflects a broader shift toward affordable crossovers and reliable sedans as urban daily drivers in St. Petersburg.
Across the city, Lada offers a broad lineup that remains widely available, contributing to a lively local market. In St. Petersburg alone, total Lada sales reached about 7,900 vehicles for the year, demonstrating steady demand for the brand in a market typified by practical needs and value-oriented pricing. This breadth of options helps Lada maintain a relevant presence even as new competitors enter the scene, and it supports a diverse showroom strategy that appeals to families and retirees alike who seek straightforward ownership experiences.
Popular brands in St. Petersburg include Chery, which has established a commanding position among car brands in the city. Last year, the brand moved a substantial volume of approximately 10.7 thousand vehicles locally, representing a market share near 15 percent. Following Chery are Haval, Geely, Lada, and Exeed, forming a competitive landscape where price, warranty terms, and aftersales support play crucial roles in consumer choice. The combined strength of these brands illustrates how foreign automakers have found resonance with Russian buyers looking for value-packed options and modern feature sets.
There has been prior reporting about AvtoVAZ consolidating its new Lada Vesta lineup on certain territories, underscoring strategic production and distribution decisions that affect the availability of popular models in key markets. For local customers in St. Petersburg, such moves can influence what is widely in stock, the timing of deliveries, and overall perceived value of certain Lada configurations. This dynamic is part of a broader trend in which manufacturers calibrate product mixes to align with shifting consumer preferences and market conditions, including competition from rapidly advancing crossovers that blend practicality with contemporary design.